The fight will be Hatton's first since his defeat by Floyd Mayweather in December and he said: "I can sense people are waiting with the daggers out, ready to say I'm more or less finished.

"There are some people who think it's finally caught up with me, all the ballooning up and down in weight. They think I'll never be the same fighter again and I do appreciate that the first defeat can have a devastating effect."

Hatton's 'Homecoming' - in all probability his last fight in the UK - is set up to be a one-sided affair; nary a soul in the 55,000-strong crowd will be there in support of Mexican Lazcano.